Rail-joint.



3. W. RAINEY.

RAH. EOINT.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. H. 1916.

i ,2'78 5@w I Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

- T011 whom it 'may concern:

the joint members may ran c sterns in rear ni ric ROBERT W. RAINEY, F MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO GERSON SCI-IABFF AND ONE-SIXTH TO ELMO S. BOYTE, BOTH 0F MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Be it known that 1, Ronnie]: \V. RAH-HEY,

citizen of the UnitedStates residing at,

Ten-

Memphis. Shelby county, and State of ncssee, have invented and discovered certain new .and useful Improvements in Rail- .loiuts. of which the following is a specification.

' The present invention relates-to new and useful improvements in rail-joints and consists in thecombinations andarrangements of elements hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the accompanying claims.

The invention has for its purpose to provide a rail-joint which will avoid the use of the fish-bar plate usually employed and wherein the ends of the rails are designed to interlock and overlap to overcome the beating down of the rail ends and thereby prevent. the incident jarring of the car wheels passing thereover.

The invention has for its further purpose to provide a rail-joint with the connecting ends thereof constructed to strengthen the track at the joint, and to allow the rails to freely expand and contract; and in which be readily formed in of the rail without requiring the. making any appreciable departure from the present steps of manufacture.

The invention 15 shown by way oi illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure- 1 is a. perspective view of the railjoint,

Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 a transverse sectional view, and. Fig. r is a perspective view showing the joint members disassembled.

Referring to the construction in further detail, 5 designates the rail end which is constructed with an enlarged web portion (3. as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and said web portion is cutaway on one side to provide a tongue F, and form a recess or chamher 8 that receives the C1projecting tongue portion 9 of the connects rail.

The tongues 7 and their complementary Specification of Letters Patent. I

' nance of a large force to that pass through slotted Patented se t. to. 1918.

Application filed October 11, 1916. Serial No. 125.067.

fitting recesses 8 are designed preferably rectangular, and said recesses have squared ends 10 andledgcs 11 forming abutting surfaces for the tongues fitting therein, as shown in Figs. 1 and i. This interlocking engagement between the rail tongues and recesses forms a strong supportfor the track at the rail-joint.

The rail tread and base are cut diagonally between the end of the tongue and the recess as indicated at 12. which thereby gives a union between the rails that is smooth and continuous tor the wheels passing thereover,

and also prevents jarring and beating down of the rail ends. This condition or the rails, as is well known, isa cause of great financial loss to railroads, and requires the maintelreep the tracks in repair.

The manner of securing the rail-joint consists of bolts 13, or other suitable devices, apertures 14 and- 15 formed in the tongue of each rail, at the projecting portion 9. and recess 10 thereof, respectively. Said bolts secure the ioint members after the usual manner and by reason of the slots ii and 15. and the rails are permitted to expand or contract in the usual way. There is a suilicient space or clearance 16 between the tongue part 9 and the wall 10, to take up this rciative movement between the rails, as will be understood.

it is obvious that those skilled in, the art may vary the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. and therefor I do not wish to be limited to such fee tin-es except. as may be required by the claim.

Having thus fully described my inyention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is:

In a rail joint. the combination oi rails haying thickened web portions adjacent their adjoining ends each thickened portion being oppositely recessed to interlock with their contacting faces disposed in alincment rail being formed with diagonal contacting 27th day of Septmnber, A. D. nineteen hunedges, and said base portions being integral dred and sixteen. with and extending beyond the extremlties .of said web portions, substantially as set ROBERT RAINEY' forth. 1 Witnesses- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set J NOJ W. Srnxon,

my hand and seal at Memphis, Tenn., this C. St Penman. 

